Deborah Marak, accompanied by her husband, at the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Williamnagar, East Garo Hills, on Friday. Telegraph picture

Tura, Nov. 14: Meghalaya’s social welfare minister Deborah Marak was granted bail today in connection with the case on her alleged use of GNLA help during the 2013 Assembly polls.

The court of the chief judicial magistrate, F. Silkam Sangma, at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills, granted her bail and asked the defence counsel to pay a surety of Rs 1 lakh. The court fixed November 26 as the next date for thehearing.

Defence advocate Kaustav Paul moved two petitions for Deborah, which were accepted by the court. Paul pleaded that Deborah’s counsel be allowed to be present for trial procedures. “The court has heard our plea and permitted it,” Paul said. He assured the court that the minister, if required, would be present during the course of the trial.

“I am a law abiding citizen and have appeared before the court,” said Deborah, after coming out of the court around 2.45pm.

Her husband accompanied the minister, who arrived in the court around 11am. Deborah arrived from Guwahati this morning. CRPF and police personnel were deployed in Williamnagar town and security arrangements were elaborate on the court premises.

Political activist Tennydard Marak, who was also named in the chargesheet along with Deborah, was also granted bail on a surety of Rs 1 lakh. However, he went missing after the morning session and appeared before the court two hours later and pleaded his innocence. His defence advocate, Sabina Sangma, told the court that she was not able to inform Tennydard on the resumption time of the court.

On November 3, the police filed the chargesheet against Deborah and Tennydard based on an FIR filed by Independent candidate Jonathone Sangma in February last year. The FIR was originally on the activities of the GNLA in Williamnagar during the elections and did not specifically name anyone. It was only during the course of investigation that the police included the names of Deborah Marak and Tennydard.

East Garo Hills SP Davies Marak, who carried out the investigation, examined as many as 24 witnesses before submitting the chargesheet.

The police had filed a chargesheet against Deborah under Sections 102(B), 171(F) and 506 of the IPC, after gathering evidence to prove she had used underground elements to intimidate voters of the Independent candidate during the 2013 Assembly polls.

Section 120(B) deals with criminal conspiracy, Section 171(F) is about undue influence in elections and Section 506 is about criminal intimidation. A person guilty under Section 120(B) can be imprisoned up to six months, under Section 171(F) up to one year and under Section 506 up to seven years.

The police has not chargesheeted any GNLA rebels in connection with the case. This is the first time that a sitting minister is facing trial for an alleged case of politician-militant nexus. The Opposition has been seeking CBI or NIA probe into the issue since last year. Tura MP Purno Sangma is also likely to raise the issue in the winter session of Parliament.